Hear students discuss under-reported news on CJTR's Human Rights Radio

Unlike medical doctors, veterinarians are free to sell over-the-counter antibiotics to farmers, leaving no paper trail. This situation is contributing to antibiotic resistant bacteria that mutate each time an antibiotic is used. Animals consume 90 per cent of antimicrobials sold in Canada.

There is a crucial connection between animal and human health. Most severe emerging and re-emerging diseases begin with animals. Humanity’s crusade on bacteria has changed our world. Farmers have high monetary incentives to use antibiotics, and use them for animal growth enhancement with no regulations. In 1950, chickens were slaughtered at 84 days old. Today they mature fast enough to be killed at 38 days. Barns are dirty, overcrowded breeding grounds. The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates $3.7 billion is spent annually treating food-borne illness, which affects one in eight Canadians annually.

The topic has been covered by the Globe and Mail and CBC in 2014 spring, and the Canadian Press in 2013. Their coverage focus is narrow on antibiotic usage for growth promotion, but fails to mention larger, intertwined problems, which were revealed in an article appearing in The Walrus. A simple urinary tract infection will become fatal if over-reliance on antibiotics persists.

About this project

“Project Censored is one of the organizations that we should listen to, to be assured that our newspapers and our broadcasting outlets are practicing thorough and ethical journalism.” —Walter Cronkite

The School of Journalism's Top 25 Under-Reported Stories was developed in partnership with Project Censored. Project Censored was founded in 1976 as part of a media literacy course in Sonoma, California. Today it is operated by the Media Freedom Foundation. Hundreds of students across the U.S. and around the world contribute information about under-reported stories. Every year, the Media Freedom Foundation picks 25 to publish in their annual book. Project Censored on the Web.